


The Battle of Catoro VI

by MayaTheDoe



Category: Dragon Ball, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Crack Crossover, Martial Arts, Science Fiction, Space Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 01:27:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21227513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayaTheDoe/pseuds/MayaTheDoe
Summary: After the Enterprise responds to a distress call on the border of Federation space, they encounter a species of incredibly physically powerful warriors intent on destroying a pre-warp civilization. Only the time-travelling Bardock can help them!





	The Battle of Catoro VI

Captain’s Log, Stardate 11273.5. The residents of Catoro VI, or “Planet Plant,” as it is called by the locals, are aware of extraterrestrial life but do not currently appear interested in developing warp technology, instead preferring to advance themselves on their own planet and improve harmony with their own ecosystem; they are even capable of subspace communications. They opened communications with Starfleet, freeing us from General Order 1. The Enterprise is responding to a distress call after three anthropomorphic aliens known as “Saiyans” appeared on the planet’s surface and began to attack each other. When we arrived, two were dead and one was in critical condition. The living Saiyan is currently in our sick bay, under Dr. Crusher’s care.

~

The bridge was assembled in the ready room. “You have the floor, Mr. Data,” spoke Picard.  
“The anthropomorphic life form we extracted from Catoro VI was in critical condition. However, he appears to have a regenerative rate exceeding most known life forms. It is estimated he will recover within 45 minutes. Furthermore, he appears to be emitting an unusual amount of tachyon radiation. While easily halted by our medical equipment and no threat to his physiology, it is...fascinating.”  
“What can we expect from our guest, Mr. Data?” asked Riker.  
“He is part of a species known as the “Saiyans,” who evolved on extreme conditions in their homeworld. Their anthropomorphic appearance hides considerable evolutionary advantages. The only creature with similar resilience or physical strength on record is the multidimensional tardigrade encountered by the USS Discovery in the 23rd century.”   
Data continued, “During the Saiyan’s first contact, they were approached by a peaceful species whom they overwhelmed, and thereby gained access to warp technology. Most known Saiyans are part of the Vegetan Armada, which we believe is planning to spread its control to this region of space.”  
“What do we know of this ‘Vegetan Armada?’” Asked Picard.  
Data responded, “Little, sir, except that it is a loose confederation of warlike species, chosen solely for their physical strength, currently led by the Saiyans. Species that instead rely on advanced technology are looted and exterminated. No attempt is made to sustainably replicate the technology. It appears they operate similar to pirates of the Orion Syndicate, except they do not establish long-term operations on any planets they visit. They are either colonized wholly or exterminated.”  
Riker spoke; “If the Vegetan Armada establishes a bulkhead here, it could threaten Starfleet’s Deep Space facilities, or encounter the Orion Syndicate. As the only Starfleet ship in the sector, we can’t allow that.”  
“Agreed, Number One. I am aware of our mission parameters.”  
Worf scoffed. “No creature is so powerful as these legends claim. I would be interested to see how they fair against a mek’leth.”  
Data responded immediately. “That would be ill advised, Lieutenant Worf. While their physiology is unremarkable except for an excellent immune system while unconscious, while conscious they are capable of emitting a powerful forcefield around themselves and increasing their physical strength by several orders of magnitude. Only by setting Type Three phasers to metallurgical levels can the creatures be affected, and this results in disintegration. It is unlikely any alloyed blade short of mono-molecular dilithium vibroblades, which are illegal in Federation except for surgical tool--”  
“Then we will not take prisoners in battle,” Worf howled, scowling.  
Picard stood and spoke boldly; “Stand down, Mr. Worf, We are not yet in battle, nor do we intend to be,” and then he returned to his seat. “Dr. Crusher, you stated there were two dead Saiyans near this one, and that you found him in critical condition. Can you describe the wounds you found on our guest as well as the two bodies?”  
“The wounds appear to be both concussions and plasma burns. This appeared to be quite a struggle; the ground was freshly cracked at the scene. I can’t imagine the force required to inflict this kind of harm on such powerful beings.”  
Picard asked, “Mr. Data, did the away team locate any weapons that may have caused these plasma burns?”  
“Negative, Captain. It is possible that the rumors that Saiyans, and many similar species in this Sector, can create balls of plasma via bio-energy may be possible.”  
“Most creatures barely generate enough bio-energy to power a light bulb, Mr. Data. I am surprised to hear you give credence to such stories.”  
“Affirmative, sir. And while these may seem like rumors, federation scientists have appeared to observe the phenomena. The reason it has not yet entered conventional medical theory is that they are presently are unsure what could have caused such a wide evolutionary shift in an interstellar population.”  
“Let’s put a pin in that for now, Mr. Data, we’ll operate on your hypothesis for as long as it remains feasible. Mr. La Forge, Mr. Worf, I want you to work together so that if more...representatives of the Vegetan Armada approach us, we are not defenseless.”  
La Forge sighed deeply. “If we’re...operating on this hypothesis, captain, we’re talking about targets we need to hit with firepower we can only reliably get with our on-board ship. But no on-board computer can calculate that kind of shot except at extreme close range.”  
Worf spoke. “We do not need to damage the Saiyans, merely their exosuits. Nevertheless, they will be likely be made of the most powerful alloys this ‘Armada’ has amassed...fortunately, close quarters is their preferred method of combat. Mr. La Forge, Are you familiar with the ancient earth defense system known as a CWIS?”  
“Yes! Late 20th, 21st and even some early 22nd century battleships carried them. They were a...rotary cannon that would intercept missiles that breached outer defense systems.”  
“Indeed. Klingon ships utilized a similar system for some time rather than deflective shielding...it was ultimately deemed obsolete and too taxing on the ship’s onboard computers.”  
La Forge nodded and hummed a single, thoughtful, falling note. “Especially travelling at warp speeds, pinpointing just one micrometeor and destroying it mid-flight is a challenge.”  
“I believe there are records of this system in Starfleet’s database, leftover from the Temporal Cold War. If we could replicate it, using the Enterprise’s main phaser bank...we would have a high-power, high-mobility phaser system that could intercept the Saiyans if they attacked the ship!”  
Picard nodded and smiled at the progress already underway. “Get to work on it immediately, gentlemen, I want a status update by 1600 hours. Dr. Crusher, Mr. Data, come with me. We should be present when our guest awakens.”

~

Bardock remembered only the missive; once, he was told the future, and now he was flung into the past. He had failed to defeat Frieza, had burned--yet he had survived. His memory--his consciousness--was beginning to crystallize again. He was--not somewhere familiar. There were white lights, the sounds of instruments. A medical bay? There was the tell-tale humming sound of a starship, but it was different from any he had encountered in the armada. Softer, smoother.  
Could it be--that Frieza had come from the future? But this creature before him...she resembled a Saiyan, but had no tail, and he could not sense her ki energy. If she had any at all, it was very small. This was not a minion of Frieza; no one would tolerate such weakness.  
“Where am I?” spoke the proud Saiyan warrior. He stood up suddenly and straight, his wounds healed.  
“Don’t be alarmed,” spoke the alien, in a soothing, maternal voice. “You’re aboard the Starship Enterprise. Our captain will be seeing you shortly.”  
“Presently, in fact,” said Picard as he entered the Sick Bay. “I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise. I am a Starfleet Officer and representative of the United Federation of Planets. We are on a peaceful mission of exploration. We encountered you in critical condition and took you to our sickbay as soon as possible.” The small, bald alien smiled amicably and took two steps further. Bardock relaxed slightly. “You have recovered with surprising alacrity.”  
Bardock finally allowed himself some confidence in the strange situation. “It’s no problem for a Saiyan warrior! We get wounds like this all the time. I would’ve been fine without your help.”  
“Perhaps you would,” said Picard, and as he spoke another figure joined them; much like the aliens, but deathly pale, and with no ki energy to speak of. “This is Lieutenant Commander Data, our vessel’s Science Officer.”  
Bardock smiled and gripped the Android in a firm handshake. It--he--gripped back with surprising strength! He could immediately respect this creature. “It’s good to meet you,” he said, all his fear and hesitance melted away.  
“I am also pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Bardock. I have been looking forward to asking you about the tachyon radiation--”  
“Bardock’s fine,” he interrupted. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I don’t know what a tachyon is!”  
“A tachyon is--”  
“There will be time to brief Bardock on the specifics of temporal quantum mechanics in the future, Mr. Data,” said Picard. “For now, it is sufficient to say we believe you may have travelled through time.”  
“That’s what I’ve been thinking too. The planet we were on, is it…?”  
“We are currently in orbit 200,000 kilometers over Catoro VI, where you were previously located,” said Data.  
“Catoro VI? We call it “Vegeta…” or, we will call it Vegeta. In my time, this is the headquarters of Frieza’s army.”  
“We aren’t familiar with this ‘Frieza.’”  
“No surprise...he probably hasn’t been born yet. In my future, he destroyed the whole Saiyan race except for my son. He’s a being of immense power...I guess it’s good he’s not around.”  
“This...Frieza. Why did he destroy your species?”  
“He thought we were a threat because of an ancient legend of a “Super Saiyan.” Bunch of nonsense...most Saiyans didn’t believe it, but he did. He believed it enough to destroy the whole planet.”  
“What means did Frieza use to destroy your planet?”  
“His own energy. What else? I told you he was powerful.”  
There was a strange quiet over the medical room. Picard stepped closer. “Do you mean to tell me there is a creature in the future that can destroy whole planets with only their own bio-energy?”  
“I don’t know what “bio” means, but yeah. Some Elite Saiyans could even do it now, but Frieza’s more powerful than any of them. As for me, I’m just a low-ranking warrior...I don’t have anything near that kind of power.”  
“Mr. Bardock, when do you expect Frieza’s forces to arrive at this planet?”  
“It’ll be a long time before they’re Frieza’s, but the two Saiyans I fought...they were a scouting force. They may have already told the rest of the Saiyans about this planet! We have to stop them!”  
Data spoke, puzzled “Mr. Bardock, why are you interested in preventing the conquest of the planet if it is your own people who will carry it out and benefit?”  
“The Saiyans used to be a proud race of warriors, who only fought the strongest opponents and strived to perfect themselves...but once King Vegeta’s line took over, they became a bunch of petty space pirates. I used to be one of them...until I saw a vision from the future. I mean, my future’s...future. Jeez, this is confusing!”  
“You may be experiencing disorientation from temporal travel,” spoke Dr. Crusher, running her medical tricorder over the warrior again.  
“Listen, I think you guys want to help…but I can tell none of you are warriors.”  
Picard quietly felt relieved that Lieutenant Worf was currently with La Forge. “While we do not possess your natural capabilities, our starship is quite well-armed. We are currently working on a revision of our weapons systems, however.”  
“Well hey,” Bardock said with a friendly grin. “If I can get some room to move, I can show you some Saiyan battle tactics!”  
“This would be fascinating to observe, Captain. Should I prepare the training holodeck?” asked Data.  
“I believe we could all learn from Mr. Bardock’s example,” said Picard. “Make it so.”

~

A dozen holographic Klingons, armed with Bat’leths, trickled into being as the projectors hummed to life. Picard and Data keyed the program for one trainee and two observers.  
“This is highly irregular for a first demonstration, Mr. Bardock,” commented Data.  
“Don’t worry. This’ll be easy!” Bardock assumed a fighting stance as the Klingons charged, weapons raised.  
The Bat’leths all hit air; Bardock dodged and weaved through the clash of flesh and falling blows. A knee to the gut sent one warrior flying, a backfist sent another straight to the ground. One flew past Data and Picard, catching their attention as his head landed in a brazier and caught fire. The holographic Klingon panicked and howled in pain, running through the simulation as his comrades groaned and gripped their wounds.  
“These guys were easy. I was even holding back for them. Are you sure you guys are warriors?”  
Picard and Data exchanged glances. “It is good that Lieutenant Worf is assigned to modifying the weapons system, Captain,” said Data quietly.  
“I’ve already thought the same myself, Data. I think it may be best to keep Mr. Worf away from our guest if at all possible.” He spoke then to Bardock. “Exemplary work, Mr. Bardock. Would you mind if we recorded this for the purposes of enriching Starfleet’s current close-quarters-combat training?”  
“Go for it! Everyone can become a warrior with enough training!” Bardock was excited, in his element, doing pushups.   
“I believe we will need a battery of bespoke tests to fully explore Mr. Bardock’s capabilities, Captain. With your permission, I would like to begin modifications to this holodeck.”  
“This holodeck is your castle, Mr. Data.”  
“A fascinating metaphor, Captain. A Castle is a fortress made to protect nobility from--”  
Picard interrupted, placing a hand on Data’s shoulder. “Ensure our guest is...entertained, Mr. Data. Think of him like a Klingon.”  
“A Klingon warrior with the natural destructive capability of a Starship is...an unsettling thought, Captain.”  
“We may be facing an army of them soon, Mr. Data. We should learn all we can from our guest before that time arrives.”  
Riker buzzed onto Picard’s comm. “Bridge to Picard, unidentified starships are leaving warp at vector 218 by 34, approximately 0.3 AUs from our current position.”  
“Understood, Number One, I’m on my way.” The holographic projection of the Klingon battlefield faded into a graph. “Mr. Data, I’m afraid your modifications will have to wait. Mr. Bardock, will you join us on the bridge?” The warrior nodded.

~

The frequency opened just as Picard entered the bridge. A creature much like Bardock was on the screen, a mocking, confident smirk on his goateed face; hard, angular features similar to a Cardassians, but without the obvious neck ridges or skin coloration; they were more anthropomorphic, amazingly, even than Klingons, except, of course, for their simian tails.  
“So this is the fabled “Starfleet.” Hmf. I can only feel one energy signal worth bothering with on your ship, and of course it’s some low-class trash.”  
“My name is Jean-Luc Picard, of the Starship Enterprise. Identify yourself.”  
“If introductions are in order...I am King Vegeta, and you stand before my armada of mighty Saiyan warriors!” His whole bridge crew cheered and raised their fists. “Surrender your ship within ten minutes or face the consequences.” He smiled broadly. “I sincerely hope you choose option 2.” The communication cut out before Picard could reply.  
“Mr. La Forge, what’s the status on that weapon?”  
“It’s in place, Captain. It’s essentially just another tactical program, but it’ll take our entire main computer to calculate it if we fire at a range past 3 kilometers.”  
“3 kilometers?” Asked Picard and Bardock at once, in opposite tones; Picard was distraught, Bardock impressed. “Well, if it works...you’ll be hitting them long before they can do anything to you!”  
“Their ships do not appear to be armed, Captain, though they are heavily armored and shielded.”  
Data spoke loudly as his console whirred disturbing tones. “Captain! I am reading fifty--one-hundred exosuited lifeforms leaving those ships! They appear to be propelled by unknown means!”  
“Yeah, they’re flying. You guys don’t know how to fly?” Bardock asked. The bridge stared at him a moment before returning to work. Worf stared longer than the rest.  
“I am reading energy signals from the lifeforms! They appear to be preparing an attack!”  
“Raise shields! Red Alert!” The siren howled. “Where do I go?” asked Bardock.  
“For now, remain on the bridge in case you need to be consulted, Mr. Bardock.”  
“But I wanna fight!” He crossed his arms in frustration.  
Data responded, “Mr. Bardock, I understand, howe--” the ship rocked, lights flickered. Data hunched over his console. “Shields at 93%! They appear to be firing unguided plasma projectiles at us! Rate of impact is--” another blast rocked the huge vessel-- “approximately 0.3%, however there is a significant quantity of them--”  
“Mr. La Forge, will our phasers deflect those blasts?”  
“Absolutely, Captain. Engaging the Phaser CWIS pattern!”  
Data blinked as his sensor suite went offline. The ship’s computer churned as the phaser bank fired in impossibly rapid succession. The small plasma bolts pelted away from the ship harmlessly.  
“Can we ensure those blasts aren’t caught in Catoro VI’s gravitational field?”  
“They appeared to dissipate after a few seconds, Captain. There should be no environmental damage to the planet. However, I cannot be certain until I have access to my sensor suite.”  
“That won’t be possible while we’re using this phaser system, Mr. Data.”  
“How long until the Saiyan warriors are in range?”  
“At their current speed, 17 seconds, Captain.”  
“Open hailing frequencies to their ship, if possible.”  
“They have accepted our hails. I am only able to provide audio at the current time, sir.”  
“That will do. King Vegeta! Your warriors race to their deaths. Our phaser system has already been adapted to your tactics. Tell them to fall back. There’s no need to spill blood here.”  
“You think a Saiyan would turn away from a fight with a powerful opponent? You insult me, Captain! Your whole Federation insults me! Prepare to die!”  
“They have closed communications, sir. I believe diplomacy has failed,” Spoke Data.  
Picard nodded slowly, sullenly, regretful. “Fire on the warriors as soon as they are in range, Mr. Worf.”  
“Affirmative, sir! They will be in range in three, two, one, initiating phaser pattern!”  
The main phaser bank normally travelled nearly the whole circumference of the cruiser’s dish, but here it fired off in fits and starts, three or four beams seeming to come out simultaneously. Only Worf and Data’s console had any activity; the rest of the bridge could simply watch and hope as the Lieutenant batted away the Saiyans and their plasma blasts. Worf’s focus was complete, his eyes wide, his sharpened teeth bared. Finally, he roared in triumph as the last Saiyan was dust in the void.  
“I only have passive sensors, sir, but I believe the last of the Saiyan warriors deployed from the ship have been...disintegrated, sir.”  
“There were no survivors?” Picard asked quietly.  
“No, sir. I am sorry.”  
There was a deep silence on the ship. Worf’s elation hung uncomfortably around the morose mood; he quickly sat at ease at his station under the weight of the bridge’s glances. Data broke the silence.  
“The ship’s computer appears to have resumed normal operations, sir. King Vegeta has yet to respond to hails.”  
“Continue to hail him, Mr. Data. Bardock, I think we will need your--Bardock?”  
The bridge crew looked up from their stations. Bardock had left in the heat of the battle.  
“Computer, locate all Saiyan lifeforms aboard Enterprise,” ordered Riker.  
“Saiyan life-forms not currently aboard the vessel.”  
“Computer, what was the last shuttlebay or airlock in use?”  
“Exosuit airlock last used by Cadet Williams forty-five seconds ago.”  
“Computer, locate Cadet Williams by biosignature.”  
“Cadet Williams currently unconscious in supply closet 037 Delta.”  
Riker sighed and buried his hands. “It appears our ‘guest’ used the Cadet to get into the airlock before giving him a...Saiyan goodbye.”  
“I have Bardock on screen, Captain,” said Data. “He has equipped an exosuit and is currently moving towards the Vegetan Armada.”  
“Can we get a tractor beam lock?”  
“Negative, sir, his relative velocity and size result in too many calculations per second.”  
“Could we re-route the phaser pattern for our tractor beam?”  
“Not without some work, Captain,” said La Forge.  
They watched Bardock speed off to the armada. “Close distance to 2 kilometers and attempt to match velocity and flight pattern. Mr. Data, continue attempting a tractor beam lock. La Forge, apply that pattern to our tractor beam system as well. Mr. Worf, you’re taking a shuttle with me. Bring Type Three phasers and remote detonators from the armory. Number One, you have the bridge.”  
“Captain, wait!” Counselor Troi interrupted. “I should come with you. I sense...a kind of sick elation coming from our enemy, as if they relish not just in battle, but in slaughter. It’s too dangerous for you to go alone.”  
“Your abilities would be more useful to Mr. Riker, Counselor. You have been briefed on the Vegetan Armada?”  
“Yes, Captain.”  
“Then until I can establish contact with King Vegeta, I am placing you in charge of all negotiations. Remain on the bridge, Counselor; that’s an order.”  
She nodded slowly as Picard and Worf took the turbolift to the shuttlebay.

~

They were heavily equipped, Worf in his traditional Klingon armor, Picard in a polymer Starfleet tactical vest. Type Three phasers were slung over their back with magnetic strips. Their shuttle, caught up with Bardock just as he stood hovering across from the armada.  
The ships were varied; some were spherical, others elliptical, some angular; each one poorly maintained, some with whole decks neglected and exposed to the vacuum of space.  
“So this is what happens when a species has such immense power by birth,” Picard marvelled under his breath. “They barely know how to operate these spacecraft, let alone maintain them.”  
“Their vessels are indeed sloppy. As it is clear that Saiyans cannot survive the vacuum of space, it would be trivial to--”  
“You have demonstrated your combat aptitude already, Lieutenant,” said Picard sharply. Worf looked over to him, surprised.  
“As your Chief Tactical Officer, it is my duty to inform you of your options, Captain.”  
“Y-you are right, Mr. Worf. I suppose I had some...culture shock, following the incident on the bridge.”  
“You were...not pleased that I took elation in defeating the Saiyans,” said Worf, exhaling deeply.  
“No,” said Picard quietly. “We had frightened ourselves terribly about the power of this enemy, only to wipe them out in needless bloodshed...now all we can do is hope more lives aren’t claimed.”  
“I understand and...honor your reluctance to spill blood, Captain. However, we will not have an option if we are attacked on-board. Only full disintegration will incapacitate the Saiyans. Stun settings will not be effective.”  
“I am aware, Mr. Worf. I will not hesitate should a combat scenario arise.”  
“Nor will I. I would also like to thank you for allowing me to bring my traditional armor on this mission, Captain, despite your reservations.”  
“Let us hope it serves only as a diplomatic overture. I’m unsure if any personal armor designed by the Klingon Empire or Starfleet could survive these creatures’ assaults for very long.”  
“The flagship’s third port shuttlebay appears to be unshielded. I am maneuvering us there now,” said Worf.

~

“VEGETA!” howled the proud warrior as he crashed through the bridge. The vacuum, there only for a second before the navigational shields activated, dropped the room’s temperature a few degrees. The proud king refused to react, though his entourage was shocked. Saiyan warriors tried and failed to subdue the upstart with the bright red bandana.  
“Enough!” the King said, immediately dashing from his dais to plant an elbow deep into Bardock’s solar plexus. Bardock collapsed to his knees immediately.   
“I know this type before. A low-ranking warrior who just had their tail handed to them, and thinks they can take on the world. Listen here, you low-life scum,” said King Vegeta, pulling the battered rebel by his lapel, “You had your first taste of Saiyan Power, didn’t you? You dealt with my guards handily. They must’ve really, really--” he tossed the limp warrior, pride shattered, across his bridge. The rusty floor scratched at him as he slid across it. “--done a number on you. But it’s nothing compared to what I have in store for you...and your friends with their toy ship.”  
“B-but! Your warriors all--!”  
“They were trash, just like you. We send them out so we don’t have to bother with the small fries. I guess I should thank you. Your friends will make an entertaining diversion--and a wonderful new flagship for my Armada!”  
As he crescendoed, a nearby door turned to sparks and ashes. Worf and Picard had arrived.  
“Stand down, King Vegeta!” Spoke Picard sternly. “You have seen the power of our technology! This weapon will destroy you as completely as the weapons on our ship!”  
The court stood quietly. Finally, King Vegeta smirked.  
“You must think you’re so safe with your little toys. You worthless little tinkerers...all the same.” Suddenly, he disappeared, and Worf was sent flying, his weapon stripped from him in a moment. King Vegeta held the phaser rifle like a battle trophy, chuckling. “So these are the famed Klingon warriors...pathetic.”  
Picard realized he would not have time to act if King Vegeta chose to disarm him as well. He fired, and the proud king was bathed in orange light, and howled. But he did not disintegrate. Nevertheless, his terrified court proceeded out of the bridge in a panic.  
Picard collected Bardock and Worf. The howling, furious king, wreathed in flames, burned on his bridge. “Picard to transporter room, four to beam up! Bring fire extinguishers and a medical team!” They were taken from the scene immediately. Outside the bridge, the Enterprise loomed.

~

The smoke of the extinguishers filled the transporter room as the ship’s fire alarm blared. The King was whisked away to a bio-bed. Amazingly--impossibly, his life-signs were not only stable, but he was still conscious until sedated.  
Bardock joined the ready room. Worf sat notably across from him, glaring at the warrior. Picard sighed. Hopefully, the Lieutenant would not embarrass himself.  
“A Type Three phaser rifle on maximum setting was insufficient to disintegrate King Vegeta, or even fully terminate his life signs. Fascinating,” remarked Data.  
“It’s good that he survived. It’s impossible to tell what this armada would do without a leader.”  
“It is likely that an internal struggle to fill the power vacuum would begin, followed by additional attempts at expansion,” remarked Counselor Troi. “The new leader would have to demonstrate their ability immediately to discourage challenges to their rule.”  
“While it is good that King Vegeta has survived, Captain, it is unlikely that he will be interested in diplomatic overtures,” remarked Data. “He was severely injured in front of his entire court.”  
“An insult he will surely demand an answer for,” remarked Picard. “Mr. Bardock, what can we expect from King Vegeta as he recovers?”  
“You have to get him off the ship now!” he said, pounding the table hard enough to leave a dent. “If he recovers here, he’ll become twice as powerful! It’s called Saiyan Power!”  
“Mr. Data?” asked Picard, helpless.  
“I have no information regarding this phenomena, Captain.”  
“Whenever a Saiyan is defeated in battle, their body grows stronger, more adapted to the enemy that beat them. It’s said a Saiyan never loses the same fight twice!”  
Picard nodded. “We’ve encountered a similar species in the Delta Quadrant, known as the Borg. As soon as an attack was used on them, they would adapt their shielding systems to deflect it. We had to set the frequencies of our phasers to cycle through several randomized presets to pierce their adaptive defenses consistently.”  
“Well, would you let one of them on your ship and in your med-bay?!”  
“Absolutely not!” howled Picard, standing straight up. Even Bardock was taken aback by his sudden ferocity. “Well Jeez. I guess I’ll remember to use my inside voice,” Bardock mumbled. Picard quickly collected himself and sat back down. “Forgive me, Bardock, the Borg are an enemy of the Federation I have dealt with...personally, in the past.”  
“I see. Well...listen, that weapon of yours really messed him up good, but once he wakes up, I’m not sure anything on your ship will even scratch him!”  
Picard nodded. “If King Vegeta recovers and becomes a liability, we may not be able to contain him aboard the Enterprise. Mr. La Forge, Dr. Crusher, would it be possible to move King Vegeta to the planet’s surface and continue his treatment there?”  
“Not in his current state, Captain. The flesh on his vital organs is charred, but it’s amazingly already healing...I even saw fused neurons come back to life on their own. He’s regenerating over 9000 times faster than any macrobiotic lifeform I’ve encountered. We could move him to the transporter room soon if his healing progresses at this rate. I estimate by 1900 hours.”  
“Keep me advised on his condition, we may need to move him as soon as it is safe. Bardock, what do you recommend we do with King Vegeta when he awakens?”  
“I have to fight him, Captain! There’s no other way.”  
Picard stood. “That is no longer necessary. He is crippled beyond the ability to fight, and without Medbay assistance he would probably have died on that bridge. No, Bardock, we are done fighting now. We must convince King Vegeta to stand down.”  
“S-Saiyans never run from a fight! And the fact you’ve nearly beat him--he’ll cross the ends of the universe to face you!”  
“He’ll have to get in line,” quipped Riker.  
“I’m not returning this patient to health just so you can beat him one step from death again,” said Dr. Crusher sternly, and Bardock deflated. These Starfleet guys weren’t dumb, he realized, they were just kind; killing all those Saiyans really did a number on them. Bardock remembered when he saw the vision of the future, when he realized what he’d done as a warrior of Frieza’s army; they must feel the same way now. But they knew how to find solutions other than fighting better than anyone he knew.  
“A-alright...but what are you going to say to him?”  
“Lieutenant La Forge, are there any nearby planets without sapient life forms that could sustain King Vegeta?”  
“There’s one 1.3 parsecs away with a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere that’s just begun plant development. Biggest animal life form down there are some overzealous beetles.”  
“Number One, to the bridge now. Set a course for the Enterprise to be in orbit over that planet by the time our guest awakens.”  
“W-Wait! What about Planet Plant?” Bardock asked.  
“Mr. Worf, you have proven more than capable facing this opponent. Would you be able to form a reactive defensive perimeter facing the Vegetans using the Enterprise’s shuttlecraft fleet?”  
“It shall be done, sir, but I will have to assemble the entire security and tactical team. The Enterprise will be defenseless, except for main weapons fired manually from the bridge.”  
“I can set up a computer system to General Combat mode, but it won’t be smart enough to hit a Saiyan,” said La Forge.  
“Load all the photon torpedo banks before you leave, then. Mr. Worf, form a perimeter around the planet but do not engage. Fire on the enemy ships only after they refuse to respond to hails and enter the planet’s atmosphere.”  
“Starfleet protocol will be observed under my command, Captain,” assured Worf.  
“Very good, Lieutenant. I hope I do not regret splitting my forces in this manner...but if Bardock is right, we must do everything we can to contain King Vegeta.”  
“We could simply destroy him,” Worf offered. “He has earned his battle scars, and an honorable death. To strand a warrior alone rather than killing him would be...dishonorable.”  
Picard nodded sympathetically. “I regretfully agree death would be a kinder fate, Mr. Worf, but we cannot risk a diplomatic incident. We must not make a lasting enemy of this armada, and martyring a King is a surefire way to do so.”  
“Aye, sir,” said Worf, eyes flitting downwards. He did not share Picard’s optimism, and there was something he felt he thought Picard did not--a sort of primal fear, even in Bardock’s presence. The power to tear through tactical shielding or ship bulkheads with bare hands? Emitting plasma energy from their own bodies and unleashing them as martial arts powerful enough to destroy a cruiser? Though he would not say it out loud, something deep within him said, insistently; the Saiyans cannot be allowed to live! Something that quaked at sharing a universe with such power.   
“You seem troubled, Mr. Worf,” remarked Troi. “I sense…”  
“I know what you sense, Counselor,” said Worf, meaning to be stern but instead snarling. He surprised even himself, and stepped back. “Forgive me, Captain.”  
“Perhaps before you begin your operation, Mr. Worf, you should spend some time with Counselor Troi.”  
“That will not be necessary, Captain!” Worf objected.  
“It will be an order, Lieutenant. I want you at full operational ability for this mission, and I can clearly see you aren’t there now.”  
Worf straightened and nodded. “Aye, sir.”

~

“I’m not sure I understand, Mr. Worf,” began Troi. “The tactical solution you created with Geordi defeated the Saiyans handily! And...well, I hate to be frank, but it’s not the first time you’ve been overpowered.”  
“No it is not,” said Worf sharply, then he began to think. Troi realized that the anger Worf often felt--in flashes--was prelude to introspection, so she did not react apologetically, but expectantly. Worf spoke on his own.  
“I have been subject to...many defeats aboard my time at the Enterprise, yet even when I am victorious, the Captain is regretful.”  
“The Captain and you do not share the same cultural outlook on violence, Worf. You know this. To Picard, it’s a regrettable last resort. To you, it’s a common social activity you actively suppress.”  
Worf nodded. “It is...unfortunate that such an honorable man is brought into low spirits when I have exceeded my station.”  
Troi responded, “Picard acknowledges your skill, Worf, and your tenacity, not just as useful, but as a part of what makes you who you are. You aren’t a Chief Officer here by accident.”  
She stood, looked outside the window at the looming Saiyan Armada. What were they planning? Worf stood with her, gazing out at the listing ships filled with monstrously powerful warriors.  
“I sense much anger from them. Conflict. There is...a power struggle.”  
“The Captain captured their king as a prisoner of war...this was a natural outcome.” He snorted derisively. “For someone so dedicated to peace...”  
“The Captain made a choice to survive, Worf. To save you, and Bardock. And the King. Maybe all the Saiyans. In Bardock’s timeline, they were all wiped out.”  
“So this...is the best alternative?” Worf asked skeptically.  
She put a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know if it’s the best. But it’s the best we can do to protect this planet, no matter what happens. We can’t allow a pre-warp civilization to be overrun like this, let alone the strategic threat to Starfleet.”  
“I...am aware of the grand strategic...and moral...implications, Counselor.” He sighed deeply. “Nevertheless, your counsel is wise. I believe I am prepared to proceed in my mission.”  
“Good luck, Worf,” offered Troi as he left the room.  
“A Klingon does not need luck, Counselor.” He left with those words, which gave her some measure of hope.

~

“Geez. The ship’s suddenly so empty.” Bardock walked with Data to the new experimental holodeck.  
“All Security and non-essential crew-members were conscripted into the shuttle fleet currently led by Lieutenant Worf.”  
“Do you think it’ll be enough? I mean, if the Elite Saiyans attack.”  
“Lieutenant Worf is an admirable tactician. His probability of successfully protecting Catoro VI while the Enterprise is away is very high.”  
“Jeez. You have a lot of faith in him.”  
“Faith is a human phenomena I am unfamiliar with. My estimation of Lieutenant Worf is due to his admirable service record and my personal study.”  
“Same difference, right? The point is, you trust your friend! That’s good.”  
“Affirmative, Bardock. Part of the reason I was created was to further understand what it means to be human. In my estimation, reliable colleagues are a significant factor in happiness.”  
“Yeah…” said Bardock, wistfully.  
Data noted the emotional reaction immediately and halted. “Bardock. Do you not feel that you have companions that you may rely on?” They stopped in the empty hall.  
“It’s just...I used to fight with those guys, you know? Any other day, it would’ve been me getting zapped by those phasers...don’t get me wrong, I know why you had to do it! But...I came here to stop my people from dying, but they just want to keep fighting, no matter what.”  
“The United Federation of Planets encountered a similar conundrum with the Klingon Empire. However, after many centuries, they established the Khitomer Accords, ensuring lasting peace between our peoples. Come, let us continue to the holodeck. We are nearly there.”  
“Wow...sounds like you Federation guys are pretty good at making friends!”  
“Affirmative. In my time aboard this vessel, I have endeavored to forge strong relationships between myself and Mr. La Forge, and have also benefited from Captain Picard and Counsellor Troi’s advice. I have learned about humour, and pets, previously wholly alien concepts to my programming.”  
“I guess I’ll be learning new stuff in this holodeck, huh?”  
“That is the intention. We have arrived.”  
The metal around the holodeck seemed different, darker than the rest of the ship, thicker.   
“Due to your considerable physical strength, this holodeck has been reinforced with molecular-reactive armor. It also has a variable artificial gravity, able to increase to 25 times normal Earth gravity.”  
“W-whoa! Sounds like it’d be hard to move around in there.”  
“Affirmative, Bardock. That is the intention of raising the gravity if you so choose. My own structure can only withstand 25 times normal Earth gravity, so that will be the maximum so I may remain in the Holodeck to observe your progress. Furthermore, the holodeck will be locked from outside access to prevent crew members from accidentally entering the high gravitational field.”  
“Whoa...you guys really think of everything. So what should do here? Pull-ups? Pushups? Say, why’s it look so...graphy?”  
“The holodeck can create holographic projections which can imitate physical objects, or even life-forms. It is my intention to have you face a series of physical challenges. At Lieutenant Commander La Forge’s recommendation, I will base these challenges off of ancient Earth mythology. We may begin whenever you are prepared.”

Bardock stretched, his grin open wide.  
“Jeez, you guys really think of everything! Well...I’ve finished my stretches! What’ve ya got for me?”  
“This battle is from ancient earth legend. You will take the role of ‘Saint George,’ and battle a mythological creature known as a ‘dragon'. Are you familiar with the story?  
“Nah! Keep it a surprise.”  
“As you wish, sir. Beginning simulation now.”  
As the holodeck whirred to life, the dragon roared into Bardock’s face immediately, brandishing its claws and teeth. “Alright! Here I come!” Gleefully, the warrior pounced with a flurry of strikes, dodging the swift claws and fiery breath. By the end, the dragon stood defeated, its own tail tied around its mouth, helplessly knotted up with a proud, if scuffed, Bardock panting with his hands on his hips.  
“Your physical aptitude is remarkable, especially at the current gravity. Would you like to continue?”  
He nodded excitedly, and Data held out his hands and spoke a command to the computer.  
“Computer, energize a costume for Bardock as Hercules, of ancient earth mythology.” The holodeck materialized a lion’s skin and a great acacia wood club, which Data collected and presented to Bardock.  
“This is how we frequently engage in holodeck programs, Bardock, if you are interested.”  
“Cool! What do I do with it?”  
“You will wear the lion skin of Hercules and wield his club, and battle a mythological creature known as a ‘hydra.’ It has a unique property where, should one of its heads be severed, two will take its place.”  
“W-whoa! How do you even beat that!”  
“In the original story, Hercules placed the Hydra’s heads under a large stone, trapping the beast indefinitely. I chose this holonovel because it is similar to the fashion in which you dealt with the dragon.”  
“Alright! Let’s go, then!”  
“Computer, begin program…”  
So they continued for some time, until Bardock was exhausted. He had Data immediately bring him to a bio-bed, where he would recover within minutes, then begin again. The scene was sufficient that Riker remarked, as Data was leaving sickbay with Bardock for the third time; “If you're interested in Starfleet, Mr. Bardock, I guarantee you’d pass the physical.”  
“Uh--r-really?” Bardock said, lighting up.  
“You’d have to pass the Academy, same as everyone. I hope you’ve brushed up on your astrophysics.” He patted the mighty Saiyan on the shoulder.  
“Astro-what?” he asked innocently, before Data whisked him away to the holodeck. “S-so why am i hiding in a wooden horse in this one in this one again?” he asked Data excitedly.  
“You will be emulating the actions of Odysseus in The Iliad. You will take the Trojans by surprise when nightfalls…”  
~

King Vegeta awoke slowly, to a clear blue sky. What planet was this? He last remembered the orange light of that weapon--it went through his whole body, inside and out, trying to tear it apart. Only his ki kept him alive; but the burns, even the scar tissue, were gone.  
The bed he was on--he lept off onto the grass below. Where were his captors, his enemies? Had they marooned him here?  
His question was answered by the sound of a transporter beam. Picard, Data, and Bardock appeared twenty paces from him. Armed with those same weapons. Fools. The trash could at least have told them their weapons would be useless...but maybe he would play with these fools a little before he destroyed them. He did need their ship, after all.  
“King Vegeta! You recovered from your condition thanks to our medical intervention. You are currently on a planet with no sapient life, 1.3 parsecs from what you call ‘Planet Plant.’ ”  
Vegeta quietly looked around, and assessed his enemy. He no longer had the cocky surety of a King who had not known defeat for years. He stood ready as a warrior.  
“If you tell your armada to stand down, and turn away from Planet Plant, Starfleet will allow you to colonize this planet. We do not have to be enemies.”  
Vegeta snarled. He was completely bald now, his hair singed off by the weapon. He was made more menacing by the massive, blue veins that began to bulge from his head as his rage mounted.  
“You...burn me, on my own ship.” As he stepped forward, a horrible energy begin to whirl around him like an oily halogen light with a shape of its own. An extension of his anger. “You decimate my warriors...and tell me we do not have to be enemies?” As he howled, the trees around him buckled. Picard was blown backwards; only Data and Bardock stood unmoved.  
“Bardock. I have updated my hand-to-hand combat routines based on recordings of your training in the Holodeck. If we work together, our chances of survival should increase significantly.”  
“No! I have to fight him alone,” Bardock insisted, stepping forward.  
“That is highly illogical, Bardock! The energy readings I receive from my tricorder reads over 9000 times the plasmic energy we encountered orbiting Catoro VI!”  
“I understand, Data. But if we fight him together...we’ll have to kill him. I’ve already seen my people die...a hundred in this timeline, and once all of them in my future…! I won’t let it happen again! There has to be peace!”  
“Mr. Data, stand down!” said Picard. “Mr. Bardock, we will beam to the Enterprise. Take this communicator and touch it to communicate with the bridge. We can transport you from the planet’s surface at any time.”  
He nodded. “Hey, that gives me an idea…! Data, keep in touch with me on the ship, okay?”  
“Affirmative, Bardock! I can only hope our holodeck programs were sufficient preparation!”  
They were the last words before Picard and Data beamed out. The Enterprise was dimly silhouetted against a cloudless sky, far enough away that the nitrogen blue seemed to smother it from this distance. Bardock and Vegeta could see it, just barely, an irregular, artificial pattern in the sky that is not quite stars, completely still.  
“Whatever you and your friends are planning, scum, it won’t work. You remember how easily I defeated you on my ship? Well...now thanks to your generosity, I’m over three times as powerful now. I hardly even need an army anymore.” His voice dripped with venom.  
Bardock assumed his fighting stance; a new one taught to him by Data from his holo-programs. Maybe some Suus Mahna would surprise Vegeta.  
Maybe.  
The battle started in a blink; the same technique, again, as Vegeta’s elbow came forward. It had worked once. But this time, the King found his own weight and momentum used against him as he was thrown to the earth, cracking the ground beneath him.  
On the Enterprise, the battle seemed nearly apocalyptic.  
“Sir! I am detecting seismic readings from the planet! It appears to be--it appears to be the work of Bardock and King Vegeta, sir. I believe their combat has begun.”  
“Onscreen, Data. We must be ready to intervene at any time.”  
“Affirmative, sir.” Data brought the battle into view, zooming into the planet’s surface.  
They stood, mouths agape, as gods clashed. Plasmic energy filled the entire mountain range. Its mightiest stones crumbled and buckled as one warrior or the other was thrown into them, only to pounce from the rubble and strike again.   
“Like the battle of ancient Gods,” remarked Picard.  
“Our holographic training programs did have a decidedly mythological bent, Captain,” remarked Data. La Forge smirked quietly.  
“Data! Are you there?!” Bardock’s voice crackled through the communicator.  
“Affirmative, Bardock! What is your current status?”  
“So far, not dead! But you’re right...he’s still way stronger than me! I think I need an edge!”  
“Would you like us to transport you to the Enterprise, Bardock?” asked La Forge.  
“No, but…! If you could use that transporter to put me behind him, I could use it for a surprise attack!”  
“Your relative velocity and small size make transportation calculations too extreme, Bardock! You will have to reduce your velocity for us to transport you!”  
“Wait! There’s another way,” said La Forge. “Captain, after I adapted that CWIS program for the tractor beam, I went ahead and made it so we could use it with all our ship’s external systems. If we decrease our distance to three kilometers, we should be able to transport Bardock wherever he needs!”  
“Make it so, Mr. La Forge.”  
Data spoke as they approached. “Sir, if we intend to transport Bardock, we will have to maneuver very close to the combat with our shields deactivated. We will be at risk of attack from King Vegeta. We are unlikely to remain in control of the ship if he boards the bridge.”  
“Did you hear that, Bardock? You’ll have to keep Vegeta away from the ship at all costs.”  
“Wait...no. He can’t know you’re helping me, or even suspect! If you get closer--I can’t risk it. I have to beat him on my own!”  
“Helm, full stop, maintain current distance.”  
“Current distance, 5,000 kilometers, Captain.”

~

Worf and Ensign Crusher manned the lead shuttle, expectantly awaiting the Enterprise’s return. The Saiyan armada loomed ominously just outside high orbit, their ships listing.  
“How can these guys be a threat? Their ships are all falling apart!”  
“If you saw their close combat abilities, you would not ask such foolish questions, Ensign,” replied Worf. “These are powerful foes indeed...but no match for a Klingon in open space.” He raised an eyebrow and almost smirked, raising Wesley’s hopes a little. “We will be victorious this day, Ensign.”  
“Let’s hope so. I just hope the Captain’s plan works...I don’t know about the choice to keep the whole civilian population on the planet.”  
“If I were Captain, I would have Mr. La Forge replicate combat shuttles and conscript the civilians aboard the Enterprise,” said Worf suddenly and sternly. “In a fight for survival, all must contribute.”  
Wesley sighed with eyes wide and said “o...kay, then,” under his breath.  
“But. I am not Captain, I am Chief Security Officer. The safety of those civilians is my--and our--first duty. No Saiyans shall harm a soul on Catoro VI.”  
“Here they come,” the Ensign said, and they both manned their consoles. “Saiyan armada is approaching. Lead ship appears to be circular in design, 500 meters wide...its huge, but it looks like it’s made of scrap.”  
Worf enhanced vision on the scrap-filled flagship. The same ship where he first encountered the Saiyan’s awesome strength. He would not allow those monsters through. He snarled and opened communications.  
“Attention all combat shuttles! Began reactive defensive pattern Gamma! Intercept the large flagship and fire at will!”  
Phaser cannons tore fiery scars into the vessel, carving it away, but its sheer mass ensured there was always more to carve. A shuttlecraft botched a maneuver and found itself on a collision course; there was a howl shortly before the shuttle shattered in the wake of the awesome mass.  
“It’s beginning to enter the atmosphere! At its current mass, it’ll wipe out all life on the surface!”  
“Continue firing all weapons! Reduce it to rubble! Begin Maneuver Atmospheric Object Interception: Saru-Alpha!”  
The shuttlecraft reacted in perfect unison, creating a sphere that matched the asteroid’s velocity, all pivoting their bottom atmospheric shields to face the surface. Worf was proud of the security team on the Enterprise--few could manage such a complex tactic. Dozens of phaser beams tore at the asteroid, until finally it crumbled entirely. As it became ash in the sky, three small pods--perhaps escape pods--rocketed towards the surface.  
“Ensign Crusher, set a course for those pods immediately,” commanded Worf. “All other shuttles, begin intercepting the other Vegetan craft! They have taken advantage of the situation and already breached our outer perimeter. Do not allow escape craft to land. Repeat, escape craft are not civilians, they are marines intent on genocide!”  
“It isn’t exactly Starfleet to fire on unarmed pods, Lieutenant,” said Ensign Crusher once the comms were off.  
“That is why Worf, and not Picard, must lead this day, Ensign. And why I decided to have you as my helmsman.” He put an arm on Wesley’s shoulder. “Your moral compass rarely falters. You are an honorable companion to enter battle with.”  
“G-Geez. Thanks, Worf.”  
“It will be of no consequence if we do not intercept those pods, Ensign.”  
“Aye aye, Lieutenant. Laying intercept course and warming up the phaser banks.”  
Worf smiled, but only when he was absolutely sure Ensign Crusher’s attention was elsewhere. The child learned quickly. That would be of great advantage.

~

King Vegeta brought down a double-ax handle, intending to hurl Bardock deep into the earth--then finish him with a Galick Gun. But his hands hit nothing but air. Again Bardock used the Vulcan martial arts to outwit Vegeta, send him tumbling off balance. Every time, the King would react in blind anger, and Bardock would exploit it, calm as the sea. It was repulsive.  
But curious.  
“Enough!” said King Vegeta. “You have proven your fighting ability to me, even if it is...disgusting.” The energy around them quieted. They floated, slowly, to the ground.  
“Why do you garb yourself in strange clothing? Why do you fight your Saiyan brethren alongside this weak ‘Federation’ of tinkering fools?”  
“I can tell you, but...it might be hard to believe.”  
“Try me. Today has been a collection of...difficult to believe circumstances.” King Vegeta sat on the stump of a tree Bardock had tossed him through a moment earlier, and waited.  
“Well...alright. I’m from your future. In my time, the Saiyans are destroyed by a powerful entity known as “Frieza…” he overwhelms our whole race easily, and destroys our home planet. The survivors are conscripted into his army.”  
King Vegeta nodded. “Much as we do to the species we conquer. It is the cycle of things. This does not surprise me.”  
“I-I just told you your people will die! In your lifetime! Don’t you care?”  
“Of course I do!” He shattered a stone next to him with a clenched fist, then turned. “But I cannot afford to. A Saiyan King must present strength, callousness, invincibility…I have already failed in that endeavor when the Federation’s weapons defeated me on my own bridge. They have seen my neck.” He stood. “I would parley with you, and the Federation. But not as a king. I seek asylum.”  
Bardock stood back, mouth agape.  
“Well? Do not think I am unaware of your ‘Starfleet regulations!’ I demand asylum! Transport me onto your ship immediately!”  
Picard, instead, beamed down to the two Saiyans. He was unarmed.  
“While we grant your request of asylum, King Vegeta, you must understand that we have no way to ensure the security of our ship once you are within it.”  
“You would accuse me of subterfuge?” growled King Vegeta.  
“Not subterfuge, but I am well aware of your famed Saiyan temper, Your Majesty,” said Picard, genuflecting slightly. “And I only ask you swear neither to harm my ship nor its crew. It is my duty to ask this as a Starfleet Captain.”  
King Vegeta nodded. “You do your duty well, Captain. It is so sworn.”  
Picard stood. “Picard to transporter room, three to beam up.”

~

The shuttlecraft buckled as it tore through the atmosphere at incredible speeds, a rocket of flaming oxygen behind it. “Locking phasers!” yelled Wesley.  
“We are within 1 kilometer of the surface, Ensign!” replied Worf. He grabbed a pair of phaser rifles.  
“Firing! One shuttle pod down!” the circular vessel exploded into orange light and vanished into smoke and ash. “The other two have--” an alarm blared-- “we were hit by a plasma blast from the rear! I’m bleeding off all the speed we can--brace for impact!”  
Worf was standing with rifles in hand as the shuttlecraft buckled under his feet, throwing him into the rear bulkhead and rendering him unconscious. Crusher held the ship as best he could. The surface grew closer--300 meters, 200--  
The ship did not crumble as it tore through the verdant green of the forest, crashing through trees, but it buckled and bent. They were alive, but the ship was no longer a ship.  
“Worf? Worf!”  
The Klingon mumbled as he slowly regained consciousness. “What has happened?”  
“Something fired on our shuttlecraft. I didn’t pick it up on sensors.”  
“The Elite Saiyan warriors. Their life signature would not be visible to a tactical shuttle until it was too late.” He tapped his communicator. “Worf to shuttle fleet’s first officer, come in!”  
An Andorian Ensign who previously guarded cargo bays nervously accepted the comm. “S-sir?”  
“Ensign Kitar! You are Acting Captain of this shuttle fleet. Continue our previous battle plan. I am currently on the surface tracking down two, perhaps three crashed shuttle pods.”  
“Should we send a shuttle to pick you up, sir?”  
“Yes, but until we have completed our search, the shuttle should remain with us. Its firepower will be useful. Worf out.” He turned to Crusher and handed him a weapon. “Here; this phaser rifle will stop them, but only on the maximum setting. Do not hesitate, Ensign Crusher.”   
They both nodded sternly as they stepped out into the forest. The pods from the flagship crashed within this area; they both produced tricorders and began their search.

~

Ensign Crusher was deep in thought as the searched the forest for their hidden foes. “That blast...could it have been the pod I fired on earlier?”  
“Unlikely. The phaser blast should have disintegrated both the pod and its occupant. Unless-”  
“Unless one of us was behind you all along,” spoke a voice from, of course, behind them. They turned to see a mustached, powerful looking Saiyan adult and a young child with a striking resemblance to the King, arms crossed, stance confident despite their lack of weapons.  
“From this distance, even you will not be able to reach us before we fire our phaser rifles. Stand down,” said Worf, hands even and calm.  
“Oh no! Nappa, we won’t be able to reach them! Whatever shall we do?” The child spoke with a learned, seemingly adult cruelty--he was his father’s son, Worf surmised. He prepared for their attack. As Nappa raised a hand, Worf fired, but his shot went wide--  
A bright globe of light came from Nappa’s hand and flung itself towards Wesley, at about the speed of a lobbed volleyball--no time for anything else, Worf threw himself in between the blast and Wesley.  
They guffawed as Worf seized, choked; the burns were so huge, yet it took no effort at all; just by thinking it-- Wesley quickly produced his medical tricorder, began emergency nerve and tissue regeneration. He would need a bio-bed...thank Kahless for Klingon’s redundant organs, thought Crusher.  
They guffawed as he struggled. He was already helpless. Suddenly, someone broke through the comms:  
“This is Ensign Kitar! The Enterprise has left warp and is closing in to high orbit!”  
The massive cruiser approached as it slowly dominated the sky. The Saiyans looked up expectantly.   
“Attention Saiyan vessels! This is Jean-Luc Picard. We have King Vegeta aboard our vessel willing to parley. Cease all aggression against Federation vessels and the residents of Catoro VI immediately!”  
“Catoro VI? Is that what they call this planet? I was thinking...Planet Prince Vegeta the Sixth.”  
“An Excellent ring to it, your majesty! Perhaps the continent shall be named after your advisor?”  
“Indeed, Nappa. Your cunning has earned you a governorship.” Crusher saw this was no mere child, but someone raised to think on a cunning knife’s edge; Prince Vegeta’s actions reminded him of the Terrans, always fearing a knife in the back, always ready to plant it themselves first. How long before Nappa was no longer worth his keep? Not long. But he kept that under his hat, for now.  
“Very well. Weakling human! Quit grovelling over your pet and inform your captain we’ll parley with him. Here. Nappa, inform the warriors. Have them assemble here.”  
“It will be done, my lord.” Nappa excused himself with a bow, then flung himself high into the air, rocketing to his comrades.  
“Ensign Crusher to Enterprise! The Saiyans have accepted our parley. Two to beam up, one to sick bay.”

~

Dr. Crusher held the sickbay herself. Bardock and Data waited outside with Ensign Crusher.   
“Jeez...you’re lucky they were just toying with him. He could’ve been vaporized if they wanted.”  
Data responded immediately. “Mr. Worf is in critical condition, Bardock. It is...unwise to consider worse alternatives at this time.”  
“You’re right...I just hope this works.”  
“Captain Picard has brokered diplomatic relationships with many species in the Alpha Quadrant, Bardock,” Data replied. “I am confident he will find an acceptable compromise for the Saiyans and the residents of Catoro VI.”  
“You really think so? Man...I used to think, the only kind of strength that mattered was improving my technique. But you guys solve everything differently!”  
“Starfleet considers it preferable to broker peaceful relations with all species it encounters,” Data replied.  
“It’s my fault,” Wesley said suddenly. “If I hadn’t hesitated, Worf would still be here. But I--I didn’t want to take a life!”  
“Hey, hey, take it easy,” said Bardock, putting a powerful arm around the Ensign. “It must be really bad...if this kid has to fight too.”  
“The Saiyans have certainly taxed the Enterprise’s tactical capabilities. Worf was even considering conscripting the civilian population.”  
“The Captain won’t allow that,” said Ensign Crusher firmly.  
“Affirmative, Ensign,” said Data. “Let us hope Worf recovers in a condition where he no longer deems such measures necessary.”  
“He’s gonna want to rip my head off,” said Crusher, burying his face.  
“Lieutenant Worf will not blame you for what occurred today, Ensign,” said Data. “In my estimation, he is far more likely to blame himself. It would...offend his Klingon honor to allow you to die because he placed such a heavy burden on you.”  
Data’s words seemed to comfort Wesley. He nodded and straightened.  
“I’d better go down there too,” said Bardock.  
“Picard has included both of us on his away team. Ensign Crusher, you are to report to the auxiliary sick bay for a full mental health examination immediately.”  
“But I want to be here when Worf--”  
“That is an order from a superior officer, Ensign. As well as Dr. Crusher.”  
“Yes sir,” said Wesley mournfully, turning away to his new assignment.  
Data’s badge crackled to life: “Picard to away team, assemble in the transporter room with King Vegeta.”  
“Aye, sir,” said Data, rising with Bardock. “It is time.”

~

They arrived. The shuttlecraft, and all the Klingon warriors, were assembled. Some of them levitated above the treeline, watching the ships, glaring. All the shuttlecraft were on Red Alert. Riker had the bridge with La Forge on transporters; the Enterprise was at a sufficient distance that its shields were down, ready to transport the away team at the first sign of trouble. The atmosphere was tense; on a razor’s edge. Fighting could break out at any moment, with the entire away team at the center of it.  
King Vegeta spoke first. “My people--”  
“Not Anymore, Father. My People. Your weakness was proved as you were brought low by these pathetic trinkets.” He tossed a phaser rifle at King Vegeta’s feet in disdain. “These pathetic Federation aliens are too weak to even consider. Their only advantage are their weapons.”  
“They bring more than weapons, my son!” He interrupted. “They bring peace. We do not need to be enemies with these people.”  
There was a guffawing laughter that rattled through the entire Saiyan compliment. “Saiyans do not have allies! Allies are for weak, conniving aliens who hide behind their ships and their weapons. Saiyans take what they want, when they want!” The cheers bellowed through the forest.  
Picard spoke. “Your ships lie in ruin, Prince Vegeta, and your armada will be stranded here without Starfleet assistance. I suggest you consider your options more carefully.”  
“Oh? And what’s to stop us from taking your ships for ourselves?”  
“The Enterprise is equipped with a self-destruct sequence. My bridge has already been ordered to begin the sequence should any Saiyan attempt to board without permission. I may not match your physical strength, young prince,” Picard said, stepping closer. Some of the lower warriors hesitantly backed away from the sudden act of mad bravery--to step towards a Saiyan prince! But the Prince did not punish the act. Instead, Picard continued, “But I can certainly match your steel. I am fully willing to strand the entire crew of the Enterprise here to contain your warmongering.”  
“Very clever, Captain,” said the prince’s huge attaché; he was mustachioed, broad shouldered; even without the unique Saiyan physiology, he would be a marvelous physical specimen. “Just what I would expect from a tinkerer. But we’re smarter than you think.”  
Suddenly, Data’s tricorder began to whir to life. “Captain. I am detecting plasmic energy signals similar to the ones Saiyans use in combat!” But none of the Saiyans moved. They simply stared, smiling.  
“Oh no. Not that--not yet,” said the King, sweating. “Not the weapon. Not the moon!”  
Before anyone could ask what he meant, a brilliant white light filled the sky. The Saiyans all turned their eyes up and howled triumphantly. Suddenly, a horrifying transformation began; every Saiyan, including King Vegeta and Bardock, began to grow; their musculature broadened, their mass seemed to come from nowhere!  
“Picard to Enterprise, three to beam out. Order the shuttle fleet to fall back immediately!”

~

The ready room was assembled. Worf’s absence was felt keenly.  
“Give us an update, Mr. Data,” began Picard.  
“The Saiyans appear to have begun a rapid metamorphosis in response to the powerful plasmic energy signal that appeared approximately 1000 kilometers above the surface of Catoro VI.”  
“This...plasmic energy, where did it come from?”  
“It appears to have been fired from a hidden weapon the Saiyans attempted to develop. A Saiyan warrior is required to power it. It appears to kill the warrior who is selected for the task. A Saiyan body was found near the device with third and fourth degree burns and no life signs. The device also appears to have been rendered inoperable. It is likely it was intended as a prototype.”  
“They may not have known it would kill its user,” remarked Riker.  
“It is uncertain, Commander,” replied Data.  
“If we were to fire upon this plasmic energy, could we deflect or dissipate it?”  
“Not with the Enterprise’s current weapons compliment, sir. I am afraid this plasma field is sustaining itself through unknown means.”  
“Continue scanning that energy field, Mr. Data. Update Mr. La Forge with any relevant information. You are dismissed.”  
“Aye, sir.” Data left.  
“Dr. Crusher, how is Worf’s recovery?”  
“Slow, Captain, but steady. I wouldn’t recommend him for any away missions, but he should be conscious in a few hours.”  
“Keep me advised at all times, I want my Chief Tactical Officer back as soon as possible. Mr Worf’s counsel has been invaluable thus far. You’re dismissed as well.”  
“Aye, sir.” She returned to sick bay.  
“Mr. La Forge, I want you to assist Lieutenant Commander Data as he investigates this energy reading. Keep me advised as soon as you have actionable intelligence. Dismissed.”  
Finally, it was Picard and Riker. “Number One, as of now you command the shuttlecraft fleet. You may take a craft yourself or command from the bridge.”  
“I’ll take a craft, sir. I prefer to lead from the front.”  
“Very good, Number One.”  
They all had their orders, but it was time to wait; time to plan. Meanwhile, a titanic battle raged on the planet’s surface.

~

“What have you done, son?” The words boomed across the mountain range, spoken from the massive great ape Oozaru--who was also King Vegeta. Beside him stood Bardock, also in his Oozaru form--and he was surrounded by like-transformed Saiyan warriors. Nearly thirty, all Super Elites. Once his personal guard.  
“What you were too weak to do! I activated the artificial moon device; gave our people the power they need to take these vessels from your pathetic ‘friends!’ ”  
“Hey!” Bardock stepped forward. “If you think we’re so pathetic, why don’t you come here and fight me yourself, you little punk?”  
“Nappa, remove this annoyance,” said Vegeta. His massive (even by comparison) vizier reacted immediately, and the Saiyans watched in glee as the two battled.  
“My son! We could be stranded here--forever!”  
“It makes no difference if we rule one planet or a hundred, so long as we rule! The whole Galaxy is ours by right of our strength! One day or another, some fools will come looking at this planet with a warp vessel, and we will reign over the stars again! Besides...your Federation ‘friends’ are still here. Now come, Father--fight for your throne, if you still have the stomach for it!”  
The battle tore the entire forest apart, then proceeded to crumble its mountains. The Oozaru’s battle tore a wedge of decimation across the continent.

~

La Forge shook his head at the horrifying destruction below as he and Data whirled through the science room, desperate for clues. “If those Saiyans keep it up, they’ll be within just thirty kilometers of a local settlement.”  
“Indeed.” replied Data. “They may have already caused irreparable damage to Catoro VI’s ecosystem.”  
“What have you got from that plasma reading?”  
“Fascinating information, Mr. La Forge. The plasma reading appears to be an attempt to simulate the moon of the Saiyan homeworld. When Saiyans are present during a full moon, the reflected photonic energy interacts with their physiology, causing an energy-matter transformation which creates the Oozaru. Something about the Saiyan’s ability to manipulate plasma fields allows them to focus the moon’s photonic energy into a beam.”  
“Which they use to power their metamorphosis! So all we have to do is cut off that beam, and it should revert!”  
“Affirmative. Their bodies are incapable of sustaining the form without constant photonic energy from the moon. They will quickly revert to their original forms in a considerably weakened state.”  
“If we could...assemble the shuttle craft and have them emit a reflective field, it could bounce the beam off the Saiyans and interrupt the power transfer!”  
“An excellent hypothesis, Mr. La Forge.”  
“Let’s call the Captain, and Riker. We need to temporarily call back the shuttlecraft for an emergency refit.”  
Once the order passed through the chain of command, La Forge opened communications. “La Forge to engineering team! All hands to shuttle bays! Prepare to receive emergency refit specifications!”

~

“Are you sure this will work, Lieutenant Commander?” Riker asked skeptically.  
“This reflective emitters should essentially function as mirrors. We should be able to position the shuttlecraft so they’re invisible to the Saiyans and revert their metamorphosis.”  
“Why not simply position the Enterprise between the planet and the plasma field?” asked Riker.  
“We’d be too large of a target. If they open fire on the Enterprise, we’ll have no choice but to fire back eventually.”  
Riker nodded, understanding the logic. “We’d need photon torpedoes to take out those Saiyans now, and that’d light the entire planet’s atmosphere on fire.”  
“It’s better we don’t make the Enterprise part of the fight unless there’s no other option, Commander,” La Forge continued. “This shuttle fleet is our best bet at controlling the conflict.”  
“Alright. When’s the refit scheduled to be completed?”  
“1130 hours. I’ll send the tactical brief to your PADD directly.”  
“Very good, Mr. La Forge. Alright people, listen up! Anyone here heard of David Copperfield?” Riker began to explain the strategy to the assembled shuttlecraft pilots.

~

Nappa was impressed; but only just. “You aren’t so bad--for a low-ranking warrior. Maybe if you had the good sense to kill one of your superiors, you could’ve been a super elite like me!” They wrestled, each slamming eachother into a massive mountain face whose awesome, steady visage crumbled after billions of years of unmatched strength. It seemed like whenever he put Nappa down, he just got back up again!  
Just like...Just like the Hydra! Bardock remembered suddenly. How did Hercules beat him again? Right!  
He grabbed Nappa’s head and shoved it deep into the mountain, then deeper, deeper, until it was stuck in a hundred meters of stone.  
“There! Try getting out of that!” Bardock laughed, only as the orange, oily light of Nappa’s energy began to glow from the crevasse he made entering the earth. Then a brilliant flash, and suddenly Bardock was enveloped in fire, tossed across the horizon. Nappa leapt and followed, cackling.  
“This’ll be it, you low-rank scum! I’ll finish you off with one attack!” He focused all his energy into his palm--a brilliant, horrible, white light appeared, brutishly hot flames on its surface licking the air as if sniffing it for blood, as they hurtled through the sky together. He was waiting, waiting until Bardock reached the open sea below. He would die there, beneath the waves.  
But that did not happen. Instead, Nappa felt his power suddenly leave him. He looked up--where was the Moon? Gone! Just open sky instead? But how--?!  
He did not have time to wonder, as he and Bardock fell into the ocean together. He felt weak, impossibly weak, as the pressure of the ocean began to mount upon him...then someone held him up, and suddenly, he was alive, on dry land. Bardock had rescued him.  
“B-but why?! I-i would’ve killed you!”  
Bardock laughed and put his hand on Nappa’s shoulder. “We’re Saiyans. It’s time for Saiyans to stick together. This galaxy’s too big for us to fight ourselves!”  
Nappa wasn’t in a position to argue. Instead, they sat on the small island. It would not be here long--the wake from the crash they made, a mere minute ago, would soon return and bury the coral-lined isle. But for now, it was theirs.  
“Listen,” Bardock continued. He had a captive audience, after all. “I’m from the future…”

~

“W-what have you done!” Howled the embarrassed Prince Vegeta. The King had found a bush and sat cross legged in it, serious-faced, protecting his decency.  
“I have done nothing. It’s clear your artificial moon has failed you,” remarked the King evenly.  
The Prince could only growl in frustration, staring at hate with the empty sky, as if he could tear it open with his rage and find the moon hidden behind it.  
Before long, he could hear the sound of Starfleet’s transporter. The Captain, alone, here to talk. To gloat.   
“We again offer you parley, Prince Vegeta. And some clothing.” He offered a warm-looking jerkin. They were high enough above sea-level that the chill of total nakedness--especially without fur--had become exhausting. The prince nearly tore the garment out of Picards hands as he snatched it, leapt behind a tree, and changed. King Vegeta accepted his clothes with more decorum.  
“Of course you weaklings want peace! It’s the only way you’d survive!” snapped the Prince, as soon as he was clothed.  
“That’s enough! Your grandstanding has only harmed your people. Look at yourself. Stranded on an alien planet without ships--without clothing! Only a quarter of your compliment of warriors remain after your foolish assault on our ship!”   
“The Saiyan people are strong! Thousands more live on our home worlds, hundreds of Elite warriors! We are just the tip of the spear!”  
“As are we, young Prince,” said Picard, in a warning tone. “The Enterprise is only the beginning of Starfleet’s power. Our technology is unmatched in the Alpha Quadrant. You have seen that we are fearsome enemies that will not even grant you the elation of hand-to-hand combat. To battle with us is to be disintegrated in the air as a forgotten cloud of dust; we do not seek honor. We seek an end to conflict. We can seek that end either as your allies or enemies.”  
The prince reflexively looked to his side, only to remember his vizier was not present. He seemed unable to think of what to say next. Finally, his father spoke.  
“Son…”  
“Do not call me that, weakling.”  
“Then I address you as your king, Prince Vegeta.” The father stood tall over the son, and the prince rethought his obstinance. He reluctantly kneeled, concealing a snarl.  
“You will end this foolish coup and return to your place at my side. Your vizier, Nappa, will take the blame. He will be executed for his crimes,” the King said, with a reluctant nod. “I am sorry, Captain Picard. I know you wish an end to bloodshed, but these are our ways, and they are necessary for peace.”  
Picard nodded quietly. He did not expect to command the King how to rule his subjects.   
“If you leave this planet, there is an alternative location 1.3 parsecs away. We...parlayed with your father there.” Picard and King Vegeta shared a smirking glance. “Starfleet would be willing to support you, should you choose to colonize it. We could offer you sustainable agricultural models, replicators for shelters.” He stepped closer to the prince, who now seemed more amenable; at the least, his snarl had become a possibly thoughtful, rather than reproachful, scowl. “You could begin to build a life for your people to flourish and grow strong. We find the life forms most successful in the galaxy live in harmony with their environment and neighbors, rather than attempting to conquer it. That is the premise of our Federation.”  
“May I rise, Father?” asked the prince quietly. King Vegeta nodded, and so Prince Vegeta rose.  
“I accept your offer, Captain Jean-Luc Picard. But know this; stay out of the way of the Saiyans in the future!”  
“As long as you remain aware of the Federation border near this region of space, Starfleet will have no reason to interfere with you,” Picard replied. “And also...so long as you remember to keep in harmony with your neighbors.”  
Vegeta harrumphed at Picard’s last comment, then turned to his father and whispered:  
“Before you execute Nappa, you should hear what he has to say. I suspect he has learned something from that low-ranking warrior.”  
King Vegeta nodded thoughtfully.

~

As Worf walked slowly, steadily out Med Bay, with Dr. Crusher’s assistance, he found himself surrounded by an applauding bridge crew--and Bardock, too, clapping and cheering as loud as he could.  
“This is...unnecessary,” grumbled the Klingon.  
“On the contrary, Lieutenant, it’s mandatory. You have sick leave until Dr. Crusher determines you fit for duty,” said Riker with a grin, “and a barrel of bloodwine, young and sweet, just like you like it.”  
Worf’s eyes widened a little at Riker’s generosity. “Not replicated?”  
Number One shook his head. “I’d been keeping it in the cargo bay for a rainy day. I think it’s come.”  
Worf nodded his thanks. Bardock put a hand on his shoulder.  
“I’ve never seen anyone who wasn’t a Saiyan survive a blast like that! You must be tougher than I thought.”  
He nodded again, attempting to keep his reaction to the overwhelming situation at a minimum. “I am..grateful--”  
“Mr. Worf, I have--” but Worf interrupted Data before he continued.  
“I thank you all for your kindness, and your generosity. But I am quite tired, and would like to retire to my quarters, with the Commander’s permission.”  
“Permission granted, Mr. Worf. You’ll find your bloodwine waiting for you.”  
Worf only allowed himself to break into a smile as he left his friends, ensuring, again, they could not see it.

~

Captain’s Log, Stardate 11421.5. The Saiyans have been deposited on Rysal III,a verdant world otherwise devoid of sapient life. Commander Riker and Lieutenant Commander Data are overseeing the first steps to sustainable colonization. The Saiyans, for all the threat they posed to our crew, were scarcely familiar with the most primitive aspects of agriculture. Lieutenant Commander La Forge will be instructing a few of their brightest on replicator maintenance, and leave them with a considerable amount of engineering knowledge from Starfleet’s archives. Normally this assistance would be in violation of General Order 1, but as the Saiyans already acquired warp technology, Starfleet Command has agreed to consider our compromise “damage control.”

**Author's Note:**

> The goal of this was to have a crossover where the general tone definitely "belonged" to one of the two franchises. In this case, as you might've guessed, I'm much better at TNG tone than DBZ tone. DBZ tends to resist novelization. Too much of the experience is wrapped up in Toriyama's thoughtful line work in the manga, or the surreal fluorescent coloring and soundtrack of the anime that wholly sold the idea of cosmic power.
> 
> While I did put this as a crack crossover-it's definitely unintuitive-I think this story seems like a natural fit. The Enterprise, despite being a space yacht with giant guns, is pretty regularly outgunned, outnumbered, or simply outplayed. They start on the backfoot--like most protagonists--and the way they win is rarely brute force, especially in TNG. The implacable, casual monstrousness of Dragon Ball Z villains seemed like a perfect foil to Picard's diplomatic tendencies.


End file.
